Infantile Spasms (IS) is a unique early-life epilepsy with heterogenous etiologies, few treatment options, and significant developmental consequences. Boston Children’s Hospital through the IS Program and other research groups have been at the forefront of the outstanding clinical care and research productivity related to IS. This October 11th various groups at Boston Children's Hospital will come together for a symposium to explore the prospects of coordinating our collective efforts more closely to improve outcomes of babies with infantile spasms.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a method for focal noninvasive cortical stimulation where small intracranial electrical currents are induced by a strong extracranial magnetic field. TMS falls into the broad category of “neuromodulation” protocols that include a range of invasive and noninvasive methods for delivering electrical signals to the brain and spinal cord. However, unlike most brain stimulation techniques that are deployed for treatment in drug-resistant disorders, TMS stands out as a method with as much diagnostic as therapeutic capacity.

CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder (CDD) has an estimated prevalence of one in 40,000 to 60,000 live births. In CDD, communication is particularly challenging because of poor hand function and poor visual function. Improvement in these abilities would open opportunities for picture-based augmentative communication, via touch or eye gaze, giving families an improved pathway for interacting with their child.